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Bethlehem boys' soccer falls in penalty kicks in state semi

Eagles come up short in penalty kicks after 110 minutes of scoreless play

By Jason Franchuk| on November 12, 2016

Middletown

So close to the major upset. But like the journey back home, it had to feel like a long ways off for Bethlehem after leaving Middletown on Saturday with a penalty-kick loss in the Class AA state boys' soccer semifinals.

The Eagles fell in the scoreless game, 4-3 in penalty kicks, one round short of a Class AA championship appearance. That will instead go Sunday to Section V representative Fairport, which had recently climbed to No. 7 in the USA Today national boys' soccer rankings.

"We can possess the ball, and we can get our noses a little dirty, too," Fairport coach Gianni Bussani said.

He could've been speaking those words about Bethlehem, too, which survived some early scoring chances and created a few of its own among the latter of the 110 minutes before ultimately fading in the shootout session.

Bethlehem (which shot second each round) missed its first and last attempts. Referees had already summoned both teams to get their next five kickers ready just before the Eagles star Kevin Piccolino — who had made four previous penalty kicks this year — came up just a little too high on his shot to the top left corner.

It caromed off the post. Fairport found relief and jubilation while Bethlehem players solemnly trotted from midfield to the east goal to comfort the senior who played a major role in the team even getting so far (team-high 16 goals, three assists).

"Kevin's always there for us, just tonight he didn't make it, and that happens sometimes," Bethlehem coach Phil Ridgway said.

Certainly anything was possible at artificial turf Faller Field. New Rochelle (Section I) — Fairport's title opponent — rallied from a 3-0 halftime deficit against Calhoun (VIII) to win 4-3 on an overtime corner-kick golden goal in the earlier semifinal.

Bethlehem remained its tried-and-true, measured self through the first 40 minutes before pushing the pace for offensive chances. It fought through three injury delays in a five-minute span early in the second half. That included Piccolino taking a break after hurting his hand.

Bethlehem posted two quick shots near the end of overtime.

One, a sizzler from a tight angle on the right side, nearly found the top left corner in the closing minute. Several Eagles players on the field, and at the bench, collapsed to the ground when the shot barely missed.

Bethlehem couldn't have been too apprehensive about penalty kicks, though. It had defeated Shenendehowa in the Halloween sectional final on PKs — with Piccolino making the clincher in the 5-4 outcome — to have a chance to get this far.

"I knew they had a lot," Bussani said. "We had some YouTube footage of (the game against Shen). They're an excellent team."

Bussani and Ridgway share similar views on picking the five players for the shootout:

"You need five guys who want to bury it, but it won't ruin their world if they miss," Bussani said.